MELBOURNE, May 12 (Reuters) - Tugboat workers at Australia's
main iron ore port threaten to hold a strike that could halt a
quarter of the world's iron ore exports and cost miners $100
million a day, just as the industry battles to slash costs and
get more out of its workers.

The dispute comes as resource firms say Australia has become
far more expensive than other locations as a now maturing
project construction boom, driven by Chinese demand, led to fat
pay packets and lavish conditions.

In some outback mines, for example, workers are flown back
and forth from resort-like housing, while cooks and laundry
hands at some gas projects can earn as much as A$350,000
($327,200) year.
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